We have always known that Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai is an example of someone who works ridiculously hard and pushes himself both mentally and physically to a point that most people wouldn’t be able to cope with. This is further evidenced in a recent interview with the man himself in Japanese publication Nintendo Dream. In the interview Mr. Sakurai reveals that he uses an IV drip at at work when he’s feeling ill to carry on working on his projects. It is alarming and just goes to show how dedicated the man is to his passion which is video games.
Sakurai: Well, actually… I still had a lot of stomach problems.
You did? (laughs)
Sakurai: Yeah, a ton.
So what do you do when that sort of thing happens? I actually had a case of acute gastroenteritis recently.
Sakurai: That sounds rough. When you’ve got symptoms like food poisoning, you definitely have to go to the hospital, right? I’ve had that situation once or twice before during development. It was like I got food poisoning from some oysters that I didn’t eat.
Even though you hadn’t eaten any. (laughs)
Sakurai: It was like my food had come into contact with them or something. But I cook my food thoroughly… Why did I get sick?
Uh, so… Do you take some time off when that happens?
Sakurai: No, I don’t. I just get an IV drip and go to work like normal.
Are you serious?!
Sakurai: I guess I’m a hard worker? (wry laughter) I’m a freelancer, so I don’t have any strict rules on my time. As long as I can complete the game, I could show up to the office once per week and I think it’d be within the realm of forgiveness. But instead I make sure I come to work every day and write proper daily reports and such. I’m always working, but there’s a lot of things that keep me in good spirits!
God bless you, Sakurai.
I wish this were his last smash brothers game. I have a feeling that if they wanted another title, he being a work addict, would be first to run back to the job when asked. Than regardless and with disregard to his condition eventually over work himself. Honestly I don’t even know what else Smash can do to feel new. I KNOW people would continue to play the same lastest entry for YEARS AND YEARS to no end. They could just port Ultimate over in the future and it can be done for the franchise. Other than new modes, the bulk of Smash is the same anyway. You’re the biggest stars in gaming, smashing on platform stages, the end. Just end it.
Or alternatively, pass the torch to someone else.
This feels more fucked up then anything. I mean I understand he wants to pleased the rabbid smash fanbase & nintendo; but I ain’t putting them first over my health.
I wouldn’t call Ultimate a rehash, but for a Smash bros with every fighter and Simon, it felt rushed. Even if you ignore the blatant obvious characters that should have been playable, no trophies? And why did he pick Link between worlds Zelda of all Zeldas? Was CD-i Zelda sick that day? And as much as I would like to believe she’s just Link to the past Zelda, the spirit you get for beating classic mode with her says otherwise.
So ungrateful…
Technically it is ALTTP Zelda. The English dub/subtitles of the trailer where they revealed Zelda’s new design for Ultimate was mistranslated from Japanese. It was supposed to say that the costume came from ALTTP but they mixed it up for ALBW. In Japan, ALTTP was actually called “Triforce of the Gods” and ALBW was called “Triforce of the Gods 2” which is likely where the mistake occured. The design of Zelda in both games is virtually identical.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda/images/3/39/Princess_Zelda_(A_Link_to_the_Past).png/revision/latest?cb=20110503050744
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/02/aplusautomation/vendorimages/39214966-02d1-408d-8a1c-7fc95f3867ae.jpg._CB291515265_.jpg
I didn’t know it was called that in Japan. Now I don’t hate Link between worlds as much. Thank you for giving me some closure.
Ah yes trophies! The most important part of Smash Bros! 3D models that you could collect and look at and then…
hm…
um…
Well you could look at them.
They also came with summaries of their history. And yes. They were nice to look at. My amiibo are nice to look at, too. Should we ignore all the things they do because they are also nice to look at?
in the new game it doesn’t appear at all.
In regards to the comments about Zelda in Smash Bros Ultimate; Technically this Zelda is a mix between ALTTP Zelda and ALBW Zelda. If you examine the official art of the 2 respective Zeldas and then bring up SSBU Zelda, you can actually see that elements were taken from both Zeldas. For example; SSBU Zelda actually is taller than ALBW Zelda which is taken from ALTTP Zelda. In addition, if you compare the patterns on her dress, you will see it’s a blend between the 2 respective Zeldas.
Technically speaking; SSBU Zelda is not from any Zelda specifically, she’s a hybrid taken from 2 main Zelda games. As for *why* this Zelda was chosen, I have 2 speculations:
1. Sakurai thought Zelda BOTW already had enough content with the main man getting his Zelda BOTW look and having a stage from that game.
2. He wanted to give Zelda ALBW some attention and given how iconic Zelda ALTTP is, he also decided to throw some in there as well. Of course, I say “he” referring to Sakurai but it could have been someone else’s idea entirely and Sakurai just approved the idea.
I’d lean toward #2 since Ganondorf was given the Ocarina of Time design. LttP/LBW Zelda to represent the entry that started the gameplay that games after it followed, OoT Ganondorf to represent the first Zelda to be in 3D, & BotW Link to represent the first open world 3D Zelda game.
We dont deserve Sakurai…the man is an inspiration
Get well Sakurai. You are a hard working person.
Half of me says that’s inspiring, half of me says that’s horrifying. I hope this is his last Smash game. The man needs a break.
I agree
, developers always take 5 to 8 years of a break. Why you think Pikmin 3 is so many years from Pikmin 2 and Luigi’s mansion 3 is so many years from the 2nd one?
Where is Mario Rabbids 2? What they doing after they make a game.? Answer =Nothing.
He is so motivated to work on another Smash bros. Immediately. Yet Miyomoto dont do nothing after he make a game. When was the last time he worked on Pikmin? Since 2012?
Well he did say the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be the last game for being a director for the game. The series will continue without him. But i do agree with you. some people needs to give this man a break.
If Nintendo knows this guy is going to say yes anytime they want a new Smash made, they have an obligation to stop asking him & to find someone else to work on the next entry. If he ends up coming back for yet another Smash game for the next system, I’m putting the blame FULLY on Nintendo as they are just taking advantage of the man at that point. When a nice person is always giving people things even to the detriment of him/herself because he/she’s just too damn nice, it’s no longer the nice person’s fault but the fault of the parasites leeching off of him/her. Nice people shouldn’t have to change their ways just because the people around them are trash.
Every time a smash bros game being created, Sakurai just giving them what they wanted. But, some people pushing the man too hard.
Bro, it’s kinda Sakurai’s baby. If Nintendo asks him, it’s because to just make the game without asking him would be extremely disrespectful by Japanese standards. The man has said before he didn’t want to make a new one, but he is a freelancer and chose to do another game, despite that. The lad is mad, I won’t disagree, but this is a more complicated idea than “parasites” and “evil business”. It’s more a matter of “Respect” and “Legacy”
+Overlord Infinite Ridley
Unfortunately I feel there’s more to it than that. Sakurai created Super Smash Bros, it’s his baby, because of that he may feel disrespected if not at least given the chance to direct it. Even the late Satoru Iwata said that whenever they planned to make a new Smash Bros Game, Sakurai would be contacted to ask if he’d be the game’s director. If you want an idea of how Sakurai functions as a person, I highly recommend checked out Did you know gaming’s video on him that covers his history all the way from his beginning to Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The man is crazy, no he’s insane, but he’s does have layers to why he operates to the way he does and Nintendo very likely understands the way he operates and that could be why they keep bringing him on board, not because they simply want to bleed him dry.
Because Sakurai has been asked by Nintendo to make another Smash Bros game according to the companies president itself. Nintendo is the boss, Not Bandai Namco Games. Sakurai does need a break for a few weeks for developing Smash Bros and other projects he made. He needs to lay low for a moment on his hard on work and he is a legend for god sake. I’m not saying that Nintendo is sucking the life out of him, i’m saying that Nintendo is pushing other co workers past there limits.
Geez… I hope he’s okay.
Perhaps all the OverWorking and stress that may have occurred during his shifts lowered his immune system, so he was more sensitive and susceptible to sicknesses.
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He must have no private life, or wife or kids (or a wife and kids that he cares about). It’s one thing to be passionate. But when being passionate means not taking care of yourself, you’ve got issues.
Get well Sakurai, so you can go back to work and give us Crono for Smash!
Please! Haha!
Is this the reason why after a good game is released they take 5 to 8 years of a break?
If every developer worked as hard s his motivation, Wii U and Switch would had had Metroid Prime exclusive. We would had been on Pikmin 6, we would had been on Luigi Mansion 5.
Toad’s Treasure Tracker 3 would had been on Switch. We would had had NSMV Switch. We would had had Mario Odyssey by 2020.
We would had been on Mario Kart 9.
We would had heard about W101
We would had had a new Donkey Kong. We would had had Mario Rabbids 2. Rayman Legends 2.
But developers dont do nothing but take 5 to 8 year breaks forcing people $400 per sequel because they too lazy to work on a tittle immediately.
Sakurai is a god amongst men… but holy fuck he needs to take care of himself more…